Apparatus for dispensing liquids



Feb. 9, 1937. E. A. OLEARY 2,070,517

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS F iled March 25, 1936 j; Er

V INVENTOR.

- BY w w Masad 62? ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS Eugene A. OLeary, Holyoke, Mass., assignor to Arthur E. OLeary, Holyoke, Mass.

Application March 25, 1936, Serial No. 70,808

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dispensing liquids such as disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,032,095 granted to me February 25, 1936.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of an apparatus for dispensing liquids of all kinds and may be used advantageously for dispensing beverages such as beer or the like.

The apparatus is so constructed and arranged that it may be associated with a container and according to its novel construction air or other fluids may be delivered to the container to force the contents upwardly through the apparatus and system to which it is connected and at the same time means is provided whereby the apparatus may be cleaned by passing some cleaning fluid through the said apparatus and system.

Various other novel features and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter referred to in connection with the accompanying description of the preferred form thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partial elevational and sectional view of an apparatus embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view Fi Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing certain of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line-4--4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing more'in detail, the invention will be fully described.

A body is represented at 2 which has an internally threaded bore 4 adapted to receive a coupling. To such a coupling there may be attached a pipe or conduit for conducting air, or other fluid to the body 2.

A valve member 8 is rotatable in the body 2 on the line 2-2 of and is preferably in the form of a taperedvalve which fits into a tapering bore as shown in Fig. 2. Tension means in the form of a spring I is disposed at one end of the plug 8 and a nut 12 is in threaded engagement with the end of the plug.

This is arranged to bear on the spring so that the valve member 8 is urged into proper seating engagement with its bore.

A handle I4 is associated with the plug 8 and a stop pin l6 associated with the plug is adapted to abut a stop or stops such as l8 provided on the body. In this way rotative movements of the plug are limited.

There is a chamber 24 in the lower part of the body 2 which is closed by a plug 26 having an internal screw-threaded portion 28. A boss 34 in the chamber 24 carries a check-valve member 36 which is preferably of some resilient material such as rubber or the like and has an opening or slot therethrough. The check valve 34 is arranged to allow fluid to pass downwardly therethrough but prevents the passage thereof in an opposite direction.

An outer tube member i! extends downwardly from a chamber 52 provided in body 2 below valve 8 which is in communication with chamber 24 by means of a passageway 54. A passageway 51 extends upwardly from chamber 52 to the valve 8.

An inner tube 58 extends downwardly within the outer tube 50 and is in communication with passageway 51, while a cap member 60 is in screwthreaded engagement with the lower ends of both tube 52 and tube 58, as shown in Fig. 3. One or more openings such as 62 extend through the wall of the cap 65) and lead into tube 58 while an opening 54 is provided in the wall of the tube 50 intermediate its ends which leads into the space between the tubes 55 and 58.

According to the preferred form of the invention, a clean-out plug 64 is provided in the lower end of cap Silto permit cleaning of tube 58. The plug 54- may or may not be screw-threaded.

The body 2 is provided with a chamber l5 and therein is a check-valve member l3, similar to the member 35, which is disposed on the inner end of a hollow plug II. The hollow plug H extends into bore 4 and may be screw-threaded into the body, as shown.

An opening 40 extends transversely through the plug 8 and another opening 42 leads from one side of the plug to said opening 40, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When the plug 8 is in the position shown, it brings passageways 40 and 51 into communicationwhile when it is rotated to its other intended position, the passageway 42 is in com- 40 munication with passageway 36 and hence chamber l5, as will appear.

A threaded part 44 for a coupling is provided on the upper side of the body 2to which a conduit or delivery pipe may be connected and 5 which may extend a considerable distance to the place where the liquid is tobe dispensed, such as a bar. In the ordinary case there will be a faucet controlling the outlet of such a conduit.

A passageway 45 extends downwardly through part 44 to the valve 8 so that, as shown in Fig. 4, communication may be had between passageways 51 and the delivery pipe.

A plug I! having an end projection IQ for a hose or the like has a threaded part 2| screwed into the body 2, as shown in Fig. 2. plug I1 is hollow and has a check valve 23 on its end which is similar to the valves l3 and 36. This valve 23 is disposed in a chamber 25 provided in the body and there is a passageway 21 leading from said chamber 25 to chamber l5.

The apparatus may be employed for various purposes but it is particularly useful in connection with the dispensing of beverages such as beer. In such a case, the tube 59 is inserted in the container of the beer, such as a keg, so that the lower end of the tube or cap is adjacent the lower side of the container. As stated, a pipe extends from the threaded outlet part 44 to the place where the beer is to be dispensed and will have at its upper end a faucet or spigot to control the flow of the beer.

The bore 4 may be connected to an air supply, :such as a compressor or the like. With the valve plug 8 in the position shown it will be readily seen that the horizontal passageway 39 is cut off from the vertical passageways 45 and 51.

In this way when air is delivered through bore 4 it passes downwardly through passageway 32, through check-valve 36, inwardly through passageway 54, and then downwardly between the inner tube 58 and outer tube 58 to pass out the opening or openings 64' in the tube 50 and into the container. With the air thus admitted into the container, the beer of the container is caused to flow through the opening or openings 62 and thence upwardly through inner tube 58, and through passageways 51, 46 and 45 and out part 44 so that the beer is forced through the system connected to part 44 to the point where it is dispensed.

In the dispensing of beverages such as beer and the like, it is necessary to clean the system frequently. It is common practice to force air, water or other cleaning fluid through the system by disconnecting the conduit at the container. This has many disadvantages however in that the beer in the system is wasted.

According to this invention, it is possible to clean the system leading from the part 44 in a very short time. This is accomplished in the following manner.

The valve 3 is rotated so passageway ii thereof aligns with passageway 33. Water or other cleaning fluid is admitted through fitting ll, past check-valve 23, through passageway 2'! and into chamber !5. It then passes through passageways 30 and 49 and then upwardly through passageways 42 and 45 into the system.

The fluid cannot, by reason of check-valve 13, pass into the air pipe nor downwardly throu n tube 50. Also with the valve 5 in the position just referred to air may be delivered into chamber l5 and will force beer in the system therefrom so that it is not wasted. This will be desirable before the cleaning fluid is used.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An apparatus for dispensing beverages com prising in combination, a body having an outlet and provided with a pair of chambers in communicatioii with one another, each having an inlet, and a third chamber in communication with the inlet of one of the pair of chambers, an outer tube member in communication with said third chamber, an inner tube within said outer tube, and a valve rotatable in said body, the said body and valve being provided with passageways whereby the valve may be positioned todirect fluid entering said one of the pair of chambers to either said outlet or said third chamber and thence to the outer tube.

2. An apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising in combination, a body having an outlet and provided with one chamber having an inlet and a second chamber having an inlet and a third chamber, the said second chamber being in communication with the first-named chamber and the said third chamber being in communication with the inlet of the first chamber, an outer tube in communication with said third chamber, an inner tube within said outer tube, and a valve rotatable in said body, the said body and valve being provided with passageways whereby the valve may be positioned to direct fluid entering said inlet of the first-named chamber either to said outlet in the body or to said third. chamber and thence to said outer tube.

3. An apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising in combination, a body having an outlet and provided with a pair of chambers in communication with one another, each having an inlet, and a third chamber in communication with the inlet of one of the pair of chambers, an outer vertically disposed tube in communication with said third chamber, an inner tube disposed within said outer tube, a unitary cap member in screw-threaded engagement with the lower ends of both or said tubes, the said lower end of the inner tube and said cap member being provided with openings, and a valve rotatable in said body, the said body and valve being provided with passageways whereby the valve may be positioned to direct fluid entering said one of the pair of chambers to either said outlet or said third chamber and thence to the outer tube.

4. An apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising in combination, a body having an outlet and provided with a pair of chambers in communication with one another, each having an inlet, a third chamber in communication with the inlet of one of the pair of chambers, an outer vertically disposed tube in communication with said third chamber, an inner tube disposed within said outer tube; a unitary cap member in screw-threaded engagement with the lower ends of both of said tubes, the said lower end of the inner tube and said cap member being provided with openings, a valve rotatable in said body, the said body and valve being provided with passageways whereby the valve may be positioned to direct fluid entering said one of the pair of chambers to either said outlet or said third chamber and thence to the outer tube, and a clean-out plug removably associated with said cap member.

EUGENE A. OLEARY.

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